Outdoor light fixtures are utilized for a variety of purposes, such as spotlights or floodlights to illuminate a chosen area or to accent a building or some other structure. For example, outdoor light fixtures are used around houses to shine generally on the front facade of the house and thereby accent the architectural features of the house. Outdoor lights are also utilized at the base of trees, flagpoles and other environmental structures, to illuminate and accent the structures for decorative purposes. Such lighting is often referred to as uplighting. Outdoor light fixtures are also utilized to illuminate more remote areas for the purpose of safety.
Outdoor light fixtures are exposed to the environment due to their usage. Therefore, such fixtures are generally constructed to withstand moisture, such as dew, rain, or water from a sprinkler system. The construction of an outdoor light fixture generally comprises a partially closed housing, open at one end. The housing holds a lamp bulb which shines a beam out of the open end of the housing onto the illuminated structure. In some fixtures, a transparent glass lens is placed over the open end of the housing to close and seal the housing such that water and moisture cannot enter and affect the operation of the lamp. While various available light structures are sealed to keep water from entering, and do so adequately, they have other drawbacks.
For example, many existing light fixtures utilize circular sealing rings which surround the periphery of the open end of the light fixture housing. The sealing rings are utilized in conjunction with circular gaskets. A peripheral lip is formed around the open end of the housing and the circular sealing ring is bolted to the front lip of the housing with bolts which extend generally perpendicular to the lens plane or sealing plane. The gasket is captured between the sealing ring and the housing to seal the housing. Utilizing such sealing rings around the periphery of the housing increases the outer diameter of the open end or front end of the light fixture. The larger front end profile of the fixture is not particularly aesthetically appealing. Since outdoor light fixtures are often visible, and a particular installation may utilize a large number of such fixtures, the aesthetic effect of the light fixture is a relevant consideration.
Furthermore such peripheral sealing designs increase the manufacturing costs of the light fixture by increasing the number of precision machined parts which must be properly seated in order for the fixture to withstand the exposure to rain, dew, or sprinkler water Furthermore the construction and installation of such light fixtures is generally more complicated because of the required alignment between the various sealing, gasket, and housing lip elements.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an aesthetically pleasing outdoor light fixture which is more streamlined and smaller in profile than existing fixtures and which effectively prevents large amounts of moisture from entering the fixture housing.
There is a further need in the art to provide a durable, outdoor light fixture which addresses the above need for a water-resistant light fixture and is relatively inexpensive to manufacture.
There is still a further need in the art for an uncomplicated outdoor light fixture which is readily constructed and installed without requiring tedious alignments between the various elements of the fixture.